Over 600 NHS South Yorkshire staff have now received the Tier 1 Oliver McGowan mandatory training, with thousands of other Health and Care staff in the region completing the e-learning programme.
NHS South Yorkshire is proud to support the Oliver McGowan Campaign by promoting the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Autism and Learning Disability for all our workforce, with the aim of improving how we care for people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Oliver McGowan was a young man with a mild learning disability and autism, who died aged 18 after being given anti-psychotic medication against both his own and his parents’ wishes, because he had experienced previous adverse reactions to anti-psychotics.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training will educate and train health and social care staff, at the right level for their role, to provide better health and social care outcomes for people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Tier 1 training has been co-delivered to NHS South Yorkshire staff by people with lived experience of learning disability and autism.
Meet Annie, Michael and Marshall, three of the trainers who are working with NHS South Yorkshire to deliver the Oliver McGowan Training in the region. They are all members of Speakup, an advocacy organisation run by and for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Speakup helps people have a voice, employment opportunities and be valued and included in society.
The Speakup trio of trainers said: “At Speakup, we are passionate about training to try and make sure that health and social care professionals, personal assistants and support staff understand how to create person-centred services. This is so that people with a learning disability and autistic people are able to lead full and valued lives which are free from discrimination and fear.”
“We were therefore very keen to become Oliver McGowan trainers for this very much needed and important training initiative. This is so that we can support staff working in the sector to be confident at working, caring for and communicating with people with learning disabilities and autistic people so that they are able to thrive and lead wonderful lives.”
“Oliver McGowan and others died due to poor care and family members not being listened to. This is unacceptable and regrettably poor care and abuse continue to hit the news headlines."
“This training should raise awareness of how to care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in the best possible way, to enable people to achieve the best possible life, and a life that is inspirational to others.“
“It’s great working in a trio, we tend to do this with other training we provide and it works well. We are lucky at Speakup to have peer support workers who have a learning disability and also autistic people who are experienced trainers.”
“This is because we have been training people for a number of years in such things as person-centred planning, and how to communicate with people through our “I'm a Person Too” training and our “Making Things Better” training. So, we haven’t found Oliver McGowan training too hard, but because it’s new training, we are learning all the time.“
“Tier 1 of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is for health and care staff who require general awareness of the support autistic people or people with a learning disability may need. We started delivering this part of the training in May 2023 and feel positive that the training is building knowledge throughout the local NHS workforce around the importance of being person centred and including family, friends and carers in that approach.”
“It’s great that we can be there to answer health care staff members’ questions during the training sessions, especially knowing they will go on to help when supporting autistic people and people with a learning disability in health and care setting.”
Dr David Crichton, Chief Medical Officer at NHS South Yorkshire said: “Research has shown that on average, people with a learning disability and autistic people die earlier than the general public, and do not receive the same quality of care.”
“One of our key ambitions at NHS South Yorkshire is reducing health inequalities and this vital programme of training is fundamental to ensure our health and care staff are equipped and feel confident in supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people.”
If you are interested in getting involved or find out more, please email syicb-doncaster.ommt-enquiries@nhs.net